3 little Touju ... when I like an artisan, I tend to rebuy and keep looking to add.

I enjoy both the artist's whimsy and attention to detail. These 3 mimic cast iron tetsubin texturally, etc. I first purchased this guy as soon as ArtisticNippon offered it. The cast iron look (including a faded rusty look that does not show in this series of phone photos) is done tastefully and modestly. I loved it immediately and wanted another, but this artisan was an unknown element to the West and this was the only piece available at the time.

Soooo, of course I dropped a mere hint at more interest in other styles and Toru came back with these two. Dealing with Toru is always a pleasure, he gave me time to ponder ... and I could not decide ... and took both. I am soooo glad I did as the prices have gone up and will continue for the hobnail styles due to labour intensity and high failure rates.

Despite the whimsy factor ... these are an extreme pleasure to use. The clay is surprisingly thin for the amount of "texture." The handle and spout are shorter and a bit ... "stubby." But it really works for these. The pour is lightning fast having wide spout opening and a somewhat small "ball" screen.

It would seem that I favor aesthetics and textures over a kyusu having to be of a certain type of "clay." I trust the artisan to match the clay to the pot to arrive at a very usable final piece. This philosophy has not failed me yet in this realm.

... I definitely go with what I immediately "feel" I like the looks of and will like the texture as well. Size plays a big factor as well, but I will bend to a degree on size ...

I said, "that is the teapot for me!" when I saw one of those Touju listed on AN. Then I looked at the price and said, "that is most certainly not the teapot for me!" They are really nice pots by the looks of them, and I'm glad somebody's enjoying them I particularly like the hobnail pot with the skirt.

Poohblah wrote:I said, "that is the teapot for me!" when I saw one of those Touju listed on AN. Then I looked at the price and said, "that is most certainly not the teapot for me!" They are really nice pots by the looks of them, and I'm glad somebody's enjoying them I particularly like the hobnail pot with the skirt.

Since I purchased these three, the prices seem to have doubled ... on the hobnails especially.

debunix wrote:Lovely collection, Chip. I have been admiring some of his pots on AN for quite a while now, although it took your post to get me to appreciate the hobnails as they deserve.

Thank you, debunix. I do not often "recommend" Tokoname artisans ... no real reason why not. But I do recommend this artisan if you are looking for something completely different. If you see a piece that is sold or not listed, Toru will do his best to obtain one for you.

Wow thanks for those posts Chip. I really like this artist a lot. I'm really glad to see him doing so well on AN. Seems there's a wide range on there now with steady sales (Not all you it seems ). I really like the stubby spouts and the wide handle. Often I find that handles can be just a touch too small for me on some kyusu-s and actually they don't need to be longer just a touch fatter. How do these feel in the hand? they look superb.

Those pots look great in a set like that. Any plans for more?

I got this pot today. 1 week to the UK and didnt pick up customs charges as I picked economy

Its an incredible piece. The attention to detail is sublime and in a different league to the cheaper pieces I've handled by this artist. As soon as I got it out of the box it just felt perfect and right. I don't always get that with high end pots (one of the gambles of buying online) but its lovely when it instantly clicks as soon as you pull it out the box and mime pouring. Akira Hojo sent me about 8 detailed pictures when I expressed my interest. Which helps a lot but its nothing like that first time you actually handle something.